Karnataka Current Affairs – KAS/KPSC Exams – 29th & 30th Nov

Set up maize procurement centres, govt. urged

The Ballari district unit of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (Puttannaiah group) has urged the State government to establish maize procurement centres for the benefit of farmers.

Goni Basappa, KRRS convenor, Sangankal Krishnappa, taluk unit president, among others, said that the maize crop was now being harvested while the price in the market had come down.

To ensure that the farmers did not undergo loss, the State government should immediately take steps to set up maize procurement centres and also start purchasing it at a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs. 1,430 per quintal.

Market Price

In the absence of procurement centres, farmers, to meet their commitments, had been forced to sell maize at the market price, ranging between Rs. 900 and Rs. 1,100

According to them, a farmer incurred an expenditure of Rs. 16,000-Rs. 17,000 per acre for a yield ranging between 10 qunitals and 20 quintals, depending upon the availability of water.

Delay

They took strong exception to the inordinate delay on the part of the insurance companies in giving crop loss compensation for farmers who had availed themselves of the scheme.

They threatened to launch an agitation if the State government, through the district administration, failed to initiate steps in getting crop compensation released. They have demanded compensation for the crop loss caused by “army worms”.

New roles for State officials

The State government on 29th Nov issued an order appointing senior IAS officer and Additional Chief Secretary D.V. Prasad as the new Development Commissioner following the appointment of T.M. Vijay Bhaskar as Additional Chief Secretary to the government.

Mr. Prasad will continued to head the Commerce and Industries Department.

P. Ravi Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment Department, has been transferred and posted as ACS to the Energy Department. Vandita Sharma, on repatriation from Central deputation, has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary to the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department.

Karnataka govt to bring action plan for electric vehicles policy

The Karnataka government today said it would soon unveil an action plan for implementation of its electric vehicle and energy storage policy aimed at creating conducive environment and necessary infrastructure for electric mobility in the city.

Stakeholders would meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tomorrow with regard to the action plan on electric vehicles and battery charging

The meeting is expected to be attended by urban planners, officials, and electric vehicle manufacturers among others.

The state government in last September came out with the “Electric vehicle and energy storage policy, 2017” with a vision to make the state preferred investment destination for manufacturing of electric vehicles (EV’s). It sought to leverage advantages and opportunities available for the sustained development of this “promising segment”.

The objectives of the policy include attracting investment of Rs 31,000 crore and creating employment opportunity to 55,000 people both from supply and demand side.

Besides it seeks to create conducive environment for transition to electric vehicle environment from internal combustion engines and also to provide opportunities for developing R&D in electric mobility.

Describing the policy as “unique”, Deshpande said it has been received well, and a Chinese company had come forward for making electric buses.

To considerably decrease dependence on petrol or diesel by 2030, infrastructure for electric vehicles had to be created in cities like Bengaluru, he said.

On the Vendor Development and Investor’s Summit 2017 organised here by the state government, Deshpande said about Rs 20,499.55 crore worth investments from 347 companies were approved in the last eight months and they would generate employment for about 86,750 people.

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